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Racial justice agency picks BeltLine-adjacent site for new campus Josh Green Mon, 12/11/2023 - 10:12 Following a two-year search, The Southern Poverty Law Center has purchased BeltLine-adjacent property on Atlanta’s Westside the non-government, racial justice agency says checks all its boxes for growth, office needs, and community outreach.

Montgomery, Ala.-based SPLC announced two years ago it was decamping from its Atlanta headquarters near downtown Decatur in search of a new campus site the organization plans to occupy for at least two decades. It found its future home in English Avenue, where SPLC closed last week on a 2.5-acre parcel at 871 Wheeler St. The purchase price was not disclosed.

The property is located directly on the 1.7-mile Westside BeltLine Connector, a link between downtown and the BeltLine’s Westside Trail, which is part of the 22-mile mainline loop.

Situated immediately east of Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard, roughly midway between Georgia Tech and Westside Park, the brick warehouse building on site was most recently occupied by Verco Materials, a protective armor manufacturer, records show.  

The 871 Wheeler St. property's location in relation to Midtown and downtown landmarks. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties

The Westside BeltLine Connector shown with the Southern Poverty Law Center's new 2.5-acre property behind it near Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard. Google Maps

According to sellers Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties’ commercial division, the unpriced property accepted bids only and was the site of a previous proposal to build a 319-unit, mixed-use multifamily project.

Now, SPLC leaders say they plan to begin improvements at the underused site immediately. That will include improved access to the Westside BeltLine Connector, new streetscapes, sidewalks, and other safety and accessibility upgrades. The organization has also enlisted Montgomery-based artist and activist Michelle Browder to install a decorative, sculptural fence around a cell tower standing over the property, facing the BeltLine connecting trail.

Founded in 1971, SPLC has had an office in Atlanta since 2006. As its lease was expiring in Decatur, SPLC’s leadership sensed an opportunity to expand to a larger facility that’s more accessible to local communities of need. Plans initially called for building a 60,000-square-foot office complex or renovating an existing structure.  

According to an SPLC rep, the organization plans to spend “a significant amount of time” next year engaging the local community regarding architectural designs and plans for the new campus.

SPLC’s goal is to break ground on the new facility in the second half of 2025.

General plans for the expanded campus call for free event space, affordable commercial spaces for local entrepreneurs of color, spaces for programming to support Westside residents and community groups, and other resources aimed at uplifting the community, according to an SPLC announcement. The Westside’s abundance of HBCUs and deep civil rights history (the area was home, after all, to SPLC’s first president, Julian Bond) helped influence the decision on where to relocate.

The Southern Poverty Law Center's new location, midway between Georgia Tech and Westside Park. Google Maps

“We selected the Westside because it’s important that our new Atlanta office is centered in the communities we work alongside,” Margaret Huang, SPLC president and CEO, said in a prepared statement. “[W]e believe the Westside campus will provide us the opportunity for significant positive impact in the area while honoring its rich legacy of mobilizing for racial justice.”

As of 2021, SPLC’s Atlanta office employed about 90 people but planned to grow to 140 employees by 2024, officials have said. The deal for SPLC’s new Atlanta campus was brokered by Kirk Rich, an Avison Young representative.

Find more context and images in the gallery above. 

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The Southern Poverty Law Center's new location, midway between Georgia Tech and Westside Park. Google Maps

The 871 Wheeler St. property's location in relation to Midtown and downtown landmarks. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties

The Westside BeltLine Connector shown with the Southern Poverty Law Center's new 2.5-acre property behind it near Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard. Google Maps

The main structure on site today, as seen along Wheeler Street with the BeltLine connecting trail behind it. Google Maps

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties

Subtitle Southern Poverty Law Center's two-year search leads to property beside Westside BeltLine Connector

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New high-speed rail could link to Atlanta airport, White House says Josh Green Mon, 12/11/2023 - 08:33 The Biden-Harris Administration has announced $8.2 billion in new funding that could help kickstart the first high-speed rail lines in America’s history as part of 10 major passenger train projects dotted around the country.

According to the White House, one of those high-speed rail lines would zip through Atlanta.

Among other objectives, President Joe Biden’s Investing in America program aims to establish a new planning framework that could result in seven high-speed rail initiatives, or “a pipeline of intercity passenger rail projects ready for future investment,” according to a Friday announcement.   

The Atlanta project would see a high-speed rail corridor to Charlotte, “linking the Southeast and providing connection to Hartsfield-Jackson [Atlanta International] Airport, the busiest airport in the world,” per the White House. It’s part of a slate of rail initiatives federal officials are calling historic.

More broadly, Biden’s administration plans to deliver $66 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to rebuild American infrastructure and become more globally competitive, which it calls the largest investment in passenger rail since Amtrak was created five decades ago.

Example of a high-speed rail line and infrastructure in Europe. Shutterstock

Should the rail program function as proposed, the Atlanta project and others would spur tens of thousands of jobs, allow for much faster travel options between cities, provide more economic opportunities for communities around the country, and reduce emissions by removing millions of vehicles from roads, according to federal officials.

Exactly what route the high-speed rail line would take between Atlanta’s airport and Charlotte hasn’t been specified.

Previous proposals have identified three alternatives, including the Interstate 85 corridor, for the roughly 275-mile route between cities. Using high-speed electric trains capable of reaching 220 mph could cut the roughly four-hour trip in half, with stops at new stations in between, studies have found.

What is known, as Axios Atlanta reports, is that a total of $1.5 million will be used to study the feasibility of three commercial passenger rail routes—branching from Atlanta to Charlotte, Savannah, and Chattanooga and other major Tennessee markets—as U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA)’s office recently specified. Whether the research will lead to actual construction, and when that might happen, remains a question mark.

The Biden Administration identified several projects as being key to its transportation and infrastructure goals. Those include new high-speed rail between California and Nevada (expected to serve more than 11 million passengers annually), another line that would link Los Angeles and San Francisco with speeds up to 220 mph, and upgrades to existing, heavily used rail routes in the District of Columbia, North Carolina, and Virginia.

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Example of a high-speed rail line and infrastructure in Europe. Shutterstock

Subtitle Train proposal between Charlotte, ATL part of $8.2-billion Investing in America plan

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Crane watch: Another Buckhead Village tower claiming corner lot Josh Green Fri, 12/08/2023 - 14:36 The first tower in a planned vertical growth spurt around Buckhead Village is barreling ahead after clearing away a low-rise commercial building and condo complex.

Chicago-based CA Ventures has erected construction cranes over a corner site in the village for its next Atlanta high-rise at 340 East Paces Ferry Road. In the past couple of years, the company has completed two towers in Midtown, 903 Peachtree luxury apartments and HERE Atlanta student housing building.

The site is immediately west of the Kimpton Sylvan hotel on East Paces Ferry Road, about a block northeast of the Buckhead Village retail and dining district.

Construction towers erected over the 340 East Paces Ferry Road site this week, with the bulk of Buckhead Village shown down the street. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

View along Grandview Avenue, with Peachtree Road at left. Submitted/YouTube

Plans call for a 22-story building containing 483 luxury apartments, with amenities placed on the 10th floor and a valet-style drop-off area for residents below. According to architectural plans submitted back in 2019, the building would top out at 225 feet, the maximum height allowed in the village.

Also in the works is 17,000 square feet of retail space along East Paces Ferry Road, according to Atlanta architecture firm Niles Bolton Associates, the project's designers.

One unique component is more than 100 parking spaces for electric vehicles in the building, including some specially designed and reserved for Tesla models, per the architecture firm.

CA Ventures had initially brought blueprints before Buckhead design review committees in 2018 for an upscale complex at the northeast corner of East Paces Ferry Road and Grandview Avenue.

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The tower's planned retail component along East Paces Ferry Road. Niles Bolton Associates

The 340 East Paces Ferry Road project isn’t the only high-rise activity percolating in Buckhead Village’s core blocks.

Directly across East Paces Ferry Road, another company based in greater Chicago, Harbor Bay Ventures, has advanced plans for a 20-story, mixed-use tower that would be partially constructed of mass timber. That fenced-off site is currently being used as surface parking, with no signs of active construction.

About a block south of that site, New York-based Tidal Real Estate Partners plans to build a 21-story project that would consume nearly a full block of the village. All low-rise properties at that site are currently vacant and boarded up, awaiting demolition.

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Construction towers erected over the 340 East Paces Ferry Road site this week, with the bulk of Buckhead Village shown down the street. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The corner properties in question, as seen in January along East Paces Ferry Road, prior to demolition. Google Maps

The corner in question in relation to Jamestown's Buckhead Village district and other landmarks. Google Maps

How the building's expected to rise next to the Kimpton Sylvan hotel, at right. Submitted/YouTube

View along Grandview Avenue, with Peachtree Road at left. Submitted/YouTube

The tower's planned retail component along East Paces Ferry Road. Niles Bolton Associates

Subtitle Chicago developer's deluxe apartment venture has been in pipeline five years

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BeltLine: Construction on horizon for final Southside Trail pieces Josh Green Fri, 12/08/2023 - 13:14 After years of talk and dashed expectations, exactly when paved BeltLine connectivity will swing from Atlanta’s Westside all the way to Buckhead, and vice versa, is coming into clear focus.

It appears we’ll live to see it—at least most of us—after all.

Atlanta BeltLine Inc. reports that Southside Trail Segments 2 and 3 have been released for bid for construction, a means of seeking firms qualified to construct that portion of the 22-mile loop trail.

That comes after BeltLine officials received a notice recently from the Georgia Department of Transportation to move forward with the project’s procurement.

Outlined at the bottom, the Southside Trail's Segments 2 and 3 are the last to see construction outside of the BeltLine's northern arc, leaving a 1.9-mile gap in connectivity. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

For now, the Southside Trail segments in question are a 1.9-mile stretch of raw dirt, rocks, and old bridges located south of downtown. They stretch between Boulevard to the east and the Pittsburgh neighborhood to the west, running under and just beyond the downtown Connector.

BeltLine officials say their goal is to begin construction on Segments 2 and 3 in late spring next year, with an expected construction timeline of roughly two years.

Should that hold true, it would mean the Southside Trail would be finished in time for summer 2026 and Atlanta’s World Cup matches, providing the paved link between the BeltLine’s Westside Trail and Eastside Trail that ATL urbanists have long dreamed of.

Multifamily construction at the beginning of the Southside Trail segments in question, as seen near Boulevard in February. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

BeltLine officials also note that most of the telecommunication fiber along Segments 2 and 3 has been relocated, as the BeltLine’s contractor continues to removing old fiber from abandoned conduits.

All Georgia Power infrastructure relocations that can be completed before construction starts are finished, officials relayed this week.

As depicted on these pages over the past year, well over 1,000 new condos, apartments, and townhomes have already materialized directly on the unbuilt Southside Trail segments in question, with hundreds of additional housing units in the pipeline in nearby blocks in neighborhoods such as Chosewood Park.

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Multifamily construction at the beginning of the Southside Trail segments in question, as seen near Boulevard in February. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Outlined at the bottom, the Southside Trail's Segments 2 and 3 are the last to see construction outside of the BeltLine's northern arc, leaving a 1.9-mile gap in connectivity. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Subtitle Woo!

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Images: Glassy tower named for Arthur Blank tops out over Peachtree Josh Green Fri, 12/08/2023 - 08:18 A glass-clad residential tower with a unique purpose has topped out where two popular restaurant buildings once stood, continuing the vertical evolution of Atlanta’s signature street.

Located just south of Piedmont Hospital at 1860 Peachtree Road, the Arthur M. Blank Family Residences is part of a Shepherd Center growth spurt the Buckhead hospital says will allow more patients and their families to receive world-class care and accommodations.

The project is replacing the former restaurant buildings long occupied by Uncle Julio’s and Ted’s Montana Grill, which were razed in 2022. It was named for Home Depot cofounder Blank following a $50-million capital grant from the Atlanta Falcons and United owner’s family foundation.

The residential tower will allow Shepherd Center to add 160 new apartments and more than double its capacity for housing day-program patients and families whose relatives are grappling with spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological ailments, according to hospital officials.

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The goal is to ease the financial burden on families who would otherwise have to find lodging elsewhere in Atlanta. More than half of patients currently come to the center for treatment from outside Georgia, per Shepherd Center officials.

As construction ramped up last year, Blank predicted the tower will provide “a safe, accessible place to call home here in Atlanta while [patient families] are away from their own homes” and help “lift the incredible burden of these types of trauma in some small way.”

The tower is positioned just south of Piedmont Hospital’s artfully curved, 16-story Marcus Heart and Vascular Center, and it’s part of a $350-million campaign to benefit Shepherd Center patients and families called “Pursuing Possible.”

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The Arthur M. Blank Family Residences will allow Shepherd Center to more than double its housing capacity, officials say. Courtesy of Shepherd Center

As is, the Shepherd Center provides care to about 900 inpatients and 7,100 outpatients per year. But space and availability constraints mean the facility can provide housing to families for only 30 days—about half the length of patients’ average stays.

For now, the center has 84 housing units on campus and 36 more nearby.

Shepherd Center officials told Urbanize Atlanta in 2022 the new tower is expected to open in the latter half of next year.

In the gallery above, find a closer look at where construction stands today and where it’s headed.

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Construction progress at 1860 Peachtree Road on the Arthur M. Blank Family Residences this week. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The glass-clad tower as viewed from a Peachtree Road retail parking lot behind CVS just to the north. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

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Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The new building, at bottom left, in relation to the Marcus Heart and Vascular Center. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Rendering of the residential tower, as seen on Peachtree from the south. Courtesy of Shepherd Center

The Arthur M. Blank Family Residences will allow Shepherd Center to more than double its housing capacity, officials say. Courtesy of Shepherd Center

Shepherd Center's location on Peachtree Road in relation to Midtown and central Buckhead. Google Maps

The former Uncle Julio’s and Ted’s Montana Grill sites, at left, in the 1800 block of Peachtree as demolition proceeded in summer 2022. Google Maps

Subtitle Residential project to assist families of Shepherd Center patients

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U.S. Soccer picks Trilith for coveted national training HQ Josh Green Thu, 12/07/2023 - 16:42 Fayette County can go ahead and shout, “Goal!!!”

U.S. Soccer made the bombshell announcement today it plans to relocate its headquarters from Chicago to a site near Trilith, a southside TV-and-film megaproject and ground-up new town, following a search that included nine sites scattered across metro Atlanta.

According to U.S. Soccer officials, the $200-million project will be located in Trilith—located about 28 miles south of downtown Atlanta—covering about 200 acres of land and creating more than 400 jobs.  

The AJC pinpoints the location as acreage just north of Trilith Studios and west of Veterans Parkway. U.S. Soccer is expected to close on the property by the end of 2023 and break ground next year, in hopes of completing the sprawling facility in time for Atlanta’s 2026 World Cup matches set for Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Site of the Trilith residential and TV/film community in proximity to downtown Atlanta and other southside landmarks. Google Maps

Atlanta emerged as the sole finalist for the soccer training headquarters in September. The region’s diversity and year-round climate conducive to soccer programming were cited as perks in today’s announcement, as was Fayette County’s proximity to the world’s busiest airport and downtown Atlanta.

U.S. Soccer and Atlanta-based Coca-Cola entered a long-term agreement in July to help grow the country's soccer ecosystem at every level.

U.S. Soccer officials also pointed to Town at Trilith—the master-planned, mixed-use community that announced its 300th home sale just last week—as another bonus of the location. Ditto for Trilith Studios, now a major TV and film production hub that counts blockbusters such as “Avengers: Endgame” and TV series “WandaVision” to its credit.

Overview of the planned 200-acre complex in Fayette County. Courtesy of U.S. Soccer

Initial plans for the National Training Center call for more than a dozen soccer fields and more than 200,000 square feet of headquarters space, meeting rooms, locker rooms, and what’s described as “high-performance facilities.”

Other aspects will include more than 100,000 square feet of indoor courts for all 27 of U.S. Soccer National Teams, including Senior Women’s and Men’s, Youth and Extended National Teams, according to today’s announcement.

It will all be built in part with a $50 million grant from Atlanta United and Falcons owner Arthur Blank, whose contribution will be specifically used to build facilities for the federation’s nine Extended National Teams, with an emphasis on supporting the Cerebral Palsy, Deaf, and Power Soccer National Teams.

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Site of the Trilith residential and TV/film community in proximity to downtown Atlanta and other southside landmarks. Google Maps

Overview of the planned 200-acre complex in Fayette County. Courtesy of U.S. Soccer

Subtitle $200M project expected to bring 400 jobs to metro Atlanta’s southside, covering 200 acres

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Photos: Hapeville's latest block-big development, from above Josh Green Thu, 12/07/2023 - 12:42 Construction officials reported last week a new seven-building development that aims to serve as a residential gateway to Hapeville has officially opened.

This week, the developer sheds light on precisely how the project turned out—and how leasing efforts are going in the growing ITP city.

Spanning roughly a block, South City Partners’ Signal project has replaced a comedy club, events center, and a ring of surface parking with a variety of apartments across seven buildings on a 397 N. Central Avenue site.

Today the Signal community hugs a core of centralized, surface parking with 4,400 square feet of commercial space positioned along North Central Avenue, which leads into Hapeville’s historic downtown a few blocks away.

David Bivens, South City Partners vice president of development, said Signal’s retail tenants include the second location of Junior’s Pizza—the first is along Georgia Avenue in Summerhill—and Transcendent Smiles Dentistry.

Proximity to downtown Atlanta is illustrated by this angle looking north. Courtesy of South City Partners

Another 800-square-foot retail slot remains available between the two businesses, which Bivens says would work for a smaller operation such as an ice cream parlor, boutique clothing retailer, or smoothie shop.

On the residential side, Bivens said Signal’s 285 new rentals are 80 percent leased “and climbing” right now.

“Hapeville’s a terrific location with Delta [Air Lines headquarters] right there and all of the airport-related employment,” Bivens tells Urbanize Atlanta.

Proximity to Porsche's North American headquarters and Atlanta's airport as seen looking south. Courtesy of South City Partners

Courtesy of South City Partners

Signal broke ground in 2021 and took shape on 8 acres across from the Atlanta airport and Porsche’s recently expanded North American headquarters complex, about eight miles south of downtown. The goal, as developers said from the outset, was to create a village-like feel.

It marked another investment—among many—by developers angling to capitalize on Hapeville’s ITP location, relatively inexpensive land, and quick access to major employment centers.

Designed by The Preston Partnership, Signal includes two carriage house buildings, two podium-style buildings standing four stories, and other wood-framed structures that lend the appearance of townhomes.

Rents start at $1,599 right now, according to the project’s website. The smallest apartments listed as being available have one bedroom and one bathroom in 724 square feet. The priciest options, meanwhile, are renting for $2,999 per month, which gets two bedrooms and two and ½ bathrooms in 1,331 square feet.

All units include granite countertops, in-unit washer and dryer, shaker-style cabinets, and ceiling heights ranging between nine to 14 feet.

Elsewhere is more than 7,000 square feet of amenity spaces, including a saltwater pool area with fire pits and a pizza oven, dog park, pet spa, private offices, and a multimedia clubroom with a demonstration kitchen, billiards, and lounge.

Find an aerial tour of the property and its surroundings in the gallery above.

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Signal's main facade, with the pizza restaurant at the bottom left corner, along North Central Avenue, with active railroad just beyond. Courtesy of South City Partners

Proximity to downtown Atlanta is illustrated by this angle looking north. Courtesy of South City Partners

Proximity to Porsche's North American headquarters and Atlanta's airport as seen looking south. Courtesy of South City Partners

Along North Central Avenue as seen headed into Hapeville's historic downtown. Courtesy of South City Partners

Examples of architectural variety with Signal's seven buildings. Courtesy of South City Partners

How the seven-building Signal project relates to Porsche's expanded North American headquarters, at right, with the airport situated beyond that. Courtesy of South City Partners

Courtesy of South City Partners

The largest multifamily component began leasing on Hapeville’s version of Main Street last fall, counting amenities that include a “sky lounge” for watching jets take off and land.Courtesy of South City Partners

Courtesy of South City Partners

Courtesy of South City Partners

Courtesy of South City Partners

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Courtesy of South City Partners

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Corridor framing part of Porsche's most recent expansion. Courtesy of South City Partners

Courtesy of South City Partners

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Courtesy of South City Partners

Courtesy of South City Partners

Subtitle Seven-building Signal project is 80 percent leased with two retail slots filled, developer reports

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WTF alert: Analysis ranks ATL 45th best city in America for 2023 Josh Green Thu, 12/07/2023 - 08:11 Throughout 2023, Atlanta has performed well in analyses of U.S. cities ranking the sheer amount of construction, the quality of remote working options, the prospects of starting a career, and even the popularity of Spring Break destinations, among others.

But when it comes to being generally—and subjectively—the best city, ATL lands squarely at “meh” this year.

That’s according to a year-end analysis compiled by real estate data company Clever, which stacked the top 50 most populous cities in America against each other to determine which is the overall “best” place to be right now.

Criteria ranged from more lighthearted non-essentials for city life—best cities for tacos and beer, for instance—to critical measuring sticks that could determine whether urban life in certain places is feasible or not, such as rent prices and home-value inflation. 

How’d Atlanta fare given those metrics? We landed at No. 45. Out of 50. Yeah.

Clever Real Estate

Clever’s analysts based their rankings on the normalized average of scores tallied for all 50 cities in 16 studies the company published in 2023. The goal, they say, is to help Americans make better choices on whether to stay put or uproot in a post-pandemic era of migration between major cities.

Atlanta performed strongest in Clever’s “Where People Want to Live” study, in which the Big Peach ranked No. 13. That's not much, but it's the bright spot. 

We were also ranked relatively high in the home price per square foot study (No. 14), home prices vs. income (No. 17), and, naturally, best barbecue cites (No. 18).

Atlanta earned an affordable housing score of 9.5, which ranked middle-of-the-road at No. 21. (Pittsburgh finished first in that metric, and Los Angeles last.)

ATL’s ranking as the country’s No. 44 best beer city seems questionable; it’s low No. 48 slot among best commuter cities does not.

Alleged mediocrity, from above. Shutterstock

So what’s the best overall city in the land for 2023?

According to Clever, that would be Buffalo, N.Y., which was ranked the second-best city for commuters—with the second-lowest increase in home prices. 

In Clever’s survey of 1,000 Americans, respondents said Seattle is the most desirable place to live in the U.S., while Atlanta didn’t manage to crack the top 10:

1. Seattle
2. Tampa
3. Charlotte
4. New York
5. Denver
6. San Francisco
7. Los Angeles
8. Orlando
9. Nashville
10. San Diego
11. Miami
12. Austin
13. Atlanta
14. Las Vegas
15. Washington

…

Lastly—to end on a relative high note—here’s how Atlanta stacked up on the list of top 15 cities with the lowest home price per square foot, with almost all other high-finishers being considerably smaller:

1. Cleveland, OH ($133)
2. Memphis, TN ($143)
3. Pittsburgh, PA ($147)
4. Indianapolis, IN ($158)
5. Birmingham, AL ($158)
6. Buffalo, NY ($169)
7. St. Louis, MO ($170)
8. Oklahoma City, OK ($170)
9. Louisville, KY ($174)
10. Detroit, MI ($176)
11. Houston, TX ($179)
12. San Antonio, TX ($182)
13. New Orleans, LA ($186)
14. Atlanta, GA ($191)
15. Kansas City, MO ($193)

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Subtitle This is some bull?

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Project called Mason Flats takes shape on previously abandoned lot Josh Green Wed, 12/06/2023 - 15:52 Banking on proximity to East Atlanta Village and major roadways on the southeast side of Atlanta, an enclave of modern-style townhomes continues to take shape where a previous project’s site had been locked up and abandoned for a decade.

Called Mason Flats, the project has released newly constructed townhomes for sale recently at 2327 Mason Drive in DeKalb County, just east of Moreland Avenue.

Mason Flats will eventually total 38 townhomes, pushing the boundaries of its “boutique” description. It stands about two miles south of East Atlanta Village; another area landmark, Starlight Six Drive-In, is about one and 1/2 miles in the opposite direction.

Jamie Mock, a Realtor with Ansley Real Estate and Christie's International Real Estate, says seven Mason Flats townhomes are move-in ready, with two more buildings left to be constructed in the community sometime in the future.

“We’re reworking the floorplans for the next two buildings and hope to get those started as soon as we’ve secured some sales in the current building,” Mock tells Urbanize Atlanta.

The project's 2327 Mason Drive location in DeKalb County, just east of Moreland Avenue. Google Maps

Mason Flats entryway today to a new flank of for-sale townhomes off Eastland Road. Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Current prices at Mason Flats range from $584,900 to $612,900, with square footages spanning between 1,991 and 2001 square feet. (The end-units are a bit larger.)

Floorplans include two bedrooms and two and ½ bathrooms in the main structure, with an additional flex space with a full bathroom and exterior entry at the ground level, next to one-car garages. Units are listed as two-bedrooms because the ground-floor spaces are disconnected from the main home.

“This [floorplan] is great for multi-generational living or someone who works at home, needs a home gym—so many options,” notes Mock.

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Other aspects of Mason Flats residences include two decks, a patio, top-floor laundry rooms, a four-stool island in kitchens, quartz countertops, and real hardwood flooring.

While they’re hardly going for a song, Mason Flats units do represent a less expensive entry point than other new townhomes nearby, which are larger and more centrally located. Have a look-see in the gallery above.

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The project's 2327 Mason Drive location in DeKalb County, just east of Moreland Avenue. Google Maps

Closed entry to the abandoned site in 2018 along Eastland Road. Google Maps

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Mason Flats entryway today to a new flank of for-sale townhomes off Eastland Road. Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Communal fire pit near the project's entrance. Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Photography by Andrew Savasuk, Foto-ology; courtesy of Ansley Real Estate/Christie's International Real Estate

Subtitle It’s a tucked-away townhome community near East Atlanta

Neighborhood DeKalb County

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Photos: Inside Midtown's new ultra-deluxe Nomia tower Josh Green Wed, 12/06/2023 - 13:19 Officials representing a new high-rise project unabashedly marketed as “grandiose” and the “Crown Jewel of Midtown” report that first move-ins have begun—and that some floorplans have already sold out.

Developed by Charleston-based Greystar, the 33-story Nomia apartment tower at the corner of Peachtree and 17th streets has opened its first phase of rentals with some of the smallest floorplans and highest rents in recent memory, but with a level of refinement that project leaders say is unmatched in Midtown.

The green-clad rectangular structure—especially visible from the downtown Connector and Atlantic Station—is experiencing an “unwavering demand for high-quality and modern residences with superior amenities in Midtown, especially as companies continuously choose to invest here,” John Roberson, Greystar managing director, said in a project update today that includes Nomia exterior and interior photography.

Detailing around Nomia's extravagant interior. Courtesy of Greystar

Nomia includes a rooftop plunge pool and views from downtown to Buckhead. Courtesy of Greystar

Two months of free rent are being offered as Nomia incentives.

After that, current Nomia rents start at $1,680 for a studio unit with a Tokyo-esque 382 square feet. (On higher floors that are finished, rents for apartments that size climb as high as $1,750.)

On the priciest end of Nomia’s renting spectrum right now, apartments with three bedrooms and two bathrooms in 1,465 square feet on the 18th floor are asking $4,795, with availability starting Dec. 15.

No units are listed as available yet from floor 22 and above—so it’s likely Nomia rents will climb higher, as the highest floors typically command more money in taller new buildings.

Nomia amenities include a rooftop pool with views across Atlanta, a terrace with fireside lounges, coffee bar, a room called the Serenity Spa, Ergo Hub co-working space, TULU luxury vending services, and a concierge with white-glove service, per developers.

Complimentary e-scooters are also available through a service called TULU Ride.

Onsite coffee bar and complimentary e-scooters provided in the building. Courtesy of Greystar

Nomia lobby seating. Courtesy of Greystar

The pet-friendly apartments include keyless access and other smart features, kitchens described as ready to entertain, and finishes such as “luxe wood-style plank floors,” according to Greystar.

Also in the works is 5,000 square feet of retail space at street level, where a ground-floor restaurant is expected to be announced soon.

Beyond the retail component, base levels of the building include roughly 300 parking spaces in a podium structure.

Example of the largest three-bedroom floorplan offered at Nomia today. It includes 1,465 square feet. Greystar/Nomia

Situated a block north of the High Museum of Art, the Nomia project was initially unveiled in March 2020, just before pandemic lockdowns; it eventually broke ground in May the following year.

Razed structures at the 1382 Peachtree Street site included the former Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta headquarters and an adjacent residential building that records indicate was more than a century old. (Big Brothers Big Sisters has moved its operations to The Met industrial warehouse complex in Southwest Atlanta.)

Beyond Greystar’s Peachtree Street apartments, two other large-scale projects are in various states of construction in Midtown’s northern blocks. They are: JPX Works’ 31-story Spring Street apartments, and a 28-story rental stack led by Capital City Real Estate near the High Museum.  

In the gallery above, find a more thorough look at what Nomia brings to Midtown’s luxury rental scene.

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Detailing around Nomia's extravagant interior. Courtesy of Greystar

Onsite coffee bar and complimentary e-scooters provided in the building. Courtesy of Greystar

Nomia lobby seating. Courtesy of Greystar

The TULU vending machine for access to home essentials residents might not need every day. Courtesy of Greystar

Courtesy of Greystar

Courtesy of Greystar

Inside a Nomia model living room with northern views up Peachtree Street. Courtesy of Greystar

Courtesy of Greystar

Artwork masking parking infrastructure on the building's southern face. Courtesy of Greystar

Nomia includes a rooftop plunge pool and views from downtown to Buckhead. Courtesy of Greystar

Courtesy of Greystar

Courtesy of Greystar

Courtesy of Greystar

Design of the Peachtree tower's rooftop pool deck. Courtesy of Greystar

The site prior to construction at 1382 Peachtree Street NE.Google Maps

The property's two former structures—including a residential building that dated to 1900, per Zillow, at left—as seen along 17th Street. Google Maps

The building's smallest floorplan currently offered has 382 square feet. Greystar/Nomia

Example of the largest three-bedroom floorplan offered at Nomia today. It includes 1,465 square feet. Greystar/Nomia

Subtitle Move-ins have begun at 281-apartment high-rise where Peachtree meets 17th streets

Neighborhood Midtown

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1382 Peachtree Street

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Groundbreaking set for Avondale Estates' downtown expansion Josh Green Wed, 12/06/2023 - 08:21 Avondale Estates’ years-long quest to beef up its walkable downtown footprint with additional buildings is set to officially begin next week.

A groundbreaking ceremony has been scheduled the afternoon of Thursday, Dec. 14 for The Dale, a 24,000-square-foot commercial development set to rise beside the city’s award-winning Town Green at the corner of North Avondale Road and Lake Street, city officials report.

It marks one of several urbanism projects either recently delivered or in the pipeline for Avondale Estates, which currently holds the prestigious Golden Urby Chalice of Champions—but possibly not for much longer.

According to project leaders, The Dale will aim to create a vibrant restaurant and retail row that complements the 2-acre greenspace.

The development team of Healey Weatherholtz Properties and Fabric Developers has designed the project as two adjacent, two-story buildings overlooking the park, next to a versatile new open-air Market Pavilion space at the opposite corner.

How the North Avondale Road project is expected to face and interact with Avondale's Town Green. Fabric Developers/Healey Weatherholtz Properties

Just west of Avondale’s existing downtown, The Dale’s retail spaces would front North Avondale Road. Plans also call for at least two restaurants—one with a rooftop bar and event space overlooking the park from the second story. Other second-floor spaces will be reserved for tenants such as coworking or office spaces.

Another component of The Dale will be public restroom facilities that will be open whenever the Town Green is.

Earlier this year, the Town Green project won the Urban Land Institute of Atlanta Award of Excellence in the Public Realm category.

Getting to The Dale could also be easier and safer for non-motorists soon.

The Dale's planned vintage-style facade along North Avondale Road. Fabric Developers/Healey Weatherholtz Properties

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Outside The Dale’s future front doors, Avondale Estates has collected proposals from construction firms to build a Complete Street Project for U.S. Highway 278 (North Avondale Road/East College Avenue) through downtown and points west.

The project calls for reducing the roadway from five to three lanes for roughly 1.15 miles. At the western end, the Complete Street would start at Sams Crossing near MARTA's Avondale station; from there, it would travel past the new park and through downtown, ending at Ashton Place.

Changes in between call for a 10-foot-wide path for pedestrians and bicyclists, upgraded traffic signals, a center median, landscape buffer, pedestrian and bike crossings, as well as road repaving and re-striping.

Avondale Estates has also garnered headlines in recent months for being crowned the “Best Small Town Beer Scene” in America for the third year running, as determined by USA Today reader votes, and for being named to Opendoor’s top 15 most family friendly cities in the U.S. roundup. The city’s Olive and Pine food hall is also now open.

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The corner of the Town Green block where The Dale will be built, adjacent to a new pavilion area at left. Google Maps

The Dale's planned vintage-style facade along North Avondale Road. Fabric Developers/Healey Weatherholtz Properties

How the North Avondale Road project is expected to face and interact with Avondale's Town Green. Fabric Developers/Healey Weatherholtz Properties

The Town Green's location on North Avondale Road in relation to Avondale Estates' downtown and Decatur to the west. Google Maps

Looking toward North Avondale Road, an overview of how future development could generally front the Town Green. (The open-air Marketplace Pavilion, pictured at right, is expected to open late this summer or in early fall.) Courtesy of Avondale Estates Downtown Development Authority

Avondale Estates' new Town Green debuted in summer 2022.

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

A water-sculpture art piece in the center of the Town Green. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

One row of bike parking at the new greenspace. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The open-air Marketplace Pavilion as construction wrapped last summer. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Birdhouses dotted around the Town Green echo Avondale Estate's Tudor-style downtown next door. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle Expect 24,000-square-foot commercial development alongside city's Town Green

Neighborhood Avondale Estates

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Avondale Estates Town Green

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MARTA's Five Points station redevelopment takes step forward Josh Green Tue, 12/05/2023 - 13:21 MARTA’s plan to refashion its largest and busiest transit hub into a “compelling civic space” for not only MARTA customers but the surrounding downtown neighborhood is showing signs of life, though the project won’t be finished as soon as agency leaders had previously hoped.

MARTA and its City of Atlanta partners have advanced the Five Points Station Transformation Project, as it’s now formally called, to a public review phase under the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, agency officials said today.

The $206-million overhaul calls for removing and replacing Five Points station’s concrete canopy, reconnecting Broad Street to pedestrian traffic, adding customer amenities, and incorporating spaces for public art, agriculture, and communal gatherings.

A refined preview depicting how the opened-up transit hub could look and function. Courtesy of MARTA

The project is being funded through the More MARTA half-penny sales tax program approved by voters seven years ago, with $25 million also coming from a Federal RAISE Grant and another $13.8 million from the Sate of Georgia. (The overall cost is $53 million less than earlier projections, following refinements made by MARTA after city council members expressed concerns over costs. )

The station overhaul has been in the works since 2019.

According to MARTA officials, the project’s next step will be a month of public review that allows Atlantans to chime in on an environment assessment conducted on the proposal this year. That will be followed by a Federal Transit Administration final approval process that MARTA officials say is expected to find no significant environment impact posed by the project.

Once the FTA lends its stamp of approval, MARTA will begin the process of preparing Five Points station for the construction phase, according to an announcement today.

Courtesy of MARTA

The project is expected to help set the stage for transit-oriented development downtown, including a future residential component at Underground Atlanta.

MARTA in March unveiled preferred plans for Five Points that included a new canopy over the station allowing for better light and ventilation. The agency has conducted multiple studies in intervening months regarding the project’s impact on the built environment, after the State Historic Preservation Office determined in April the 1979 station is “of significant historical importance since it is part of the largest public works project in Atlanta history, the construction of the MARTA system,” per agency officials.  

The preservation agency found that the Five Points overhaul would negatively impact historic aspects of the station and require mitigation.

In response, according to MARTA’s environmental assessment, mitigation measures incorporated into the station’s redevelopment will include architectural documentation such as photography and interpretive panels that memorialize today’s concourse and plaza levels. 

MARTA doesn’t expect the remade Five Points station to be finished in time for Atlanta’s World Cup 2026 matches—the earlier target for completion—but the agency “will ensure the rail station is ready to host soccer fans from around the world,” according to today’s announcement.

In 2021, MARTA selected architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to lead designs of the canopy deconstruction and removal, while Skanska Building USA was picked to serve as contractor, overseeing the project.

The project attracted scrutiny from government and business leaders earlier this year who felt it prioritizes vehicle transportation over a truly vibrant downtown. MARTA officials say a crucial factor in the design is accommodating customers who use bus routes that connect with the station on a daily basis—customers who oftentimes don’t have access to vehicles. That will require large bus bays at street level, project leaders say. 

Five Points acts as the connecting point for all four rail lines—the north/south (Red and Gold) and east/west Lines (Green and Blue)—and nine bus routes. 

Courtesy of MARTA

The Five Points MARTA station environmental assessment can be viewed online here, or in person until Jan. 4 next year at the Fulton County Library downtown, MARTA headquarters (2424 Piedmont Road NE), or the Five Points Station Ride Store (30 Alabama St. SW).

Public comments on the project can be submitted via MARTA’s website, email (publichearinginfo@itsmarta.com), by phone (404-848-5299), or by mail (MARTA Five Points Transformation/Attn. Tracie Roberson, 2424 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30324-3311).

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713 West Peachtree Street NW Five Points MARTA Station Underground Atlanta TSW Architects Skidmore Owings & Merrill MARTA Alternate Transportation Five Points Downtown Atlanta RAISE Grants U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg Biden-Harris Administration More MARTA U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams Skanska Building USA SOM

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A refined preview depicting how the opened-up transit hub could look and function. Courtesy of MARTA

Courtesy of MARTA

Courtesy of MARTA

Courtesy of MARTA

Courtesy of MARTA

Courtesy of MARTA

Courtesy of MARTA

Courtesy of MARTA

Courtesy of MARTA

Subtitle Plans call for $206M overhaul of Atlanta's largest, busiest transit hub

Neighborhood Downtown

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